In partnership with Aetna, Costco will dole out the Costco Personal Health
plan in several states, according to a company press
release – Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois,
Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia, with more to
be added later in the year.

The good:

-You'll pay nothing for preventative care, which includes
important exams like pap smears, cancer screenings and
mammograms.

-If you use doctors within Aetna's network, some plans waive the
deductible requirement.

-Most plans charge just $15 for generic prescriptions.

-One of the plans is designated for consumers who maintain a
health savings account (HSA).

-There's also a dental option.

The bad:

-There is NO maternity care, unless you incur
"pregnancy complications." This could be a major
deterrent for many consumers, especially considering how
important families must be to business.

-Deductibles are sky-high, which
is unfortunately a growing trend for private
health care plans. For individuals, they range from $3,000 to
$7,500 for in-network care and $6,000 to $10,000 for
out-of-network care. For families, deductibles start from $6,000
to $15,000 for in-network and $12,000 to $20,000 for
out-of-network care.

-ER visits will set you back $350 unless you're actually admitted
for treatment.

-Consumers with preexisting conditions might not qualify for the
plan at all, at least not until Obamacare goes into effect.

This isn't the first time a major retailer has ventured beyond
the realm of groceries and cheap patio furniture. Walmart
received a rocky reception at best when it started
offering free tax services to consumers in-store earlier this
year.